Category Archives: Books

Books, Interview, Reviews

Author Interview: Laurence Read

If you enjoy reading historical novels, then “Danube Legion” by Laurence Read might just hit the spot. This historically accurate Roman army war novel is set in 2nd century Hungary/Danube region. Although it is a “war” novel, the novel mostly concentrates on the legion “behind the scenes”. Here’s a quick summary before I chat to author, Laurence Read.

BOOK SUMMARY

The Roman war machine is on the move

But behind the Centurions and Legionaries, a vast support network grinds into motion, mobilising a new legion towards a hostile river border, its human cogs turning across Roman society: from downtrodden bath slaves, to legionary blacksmiths trying to get through the day, from unscrupulous traders who supply food and materials to corrupt politicians with their own cynical motives.

Danube legion is the darkly amusing story of what happens behind the scenes – the chaotic, the venal, the incompetent and the corrupt. In amongst it all, and driving most of it, is Lady Lassalia, a ruthless merchant out to ensure her place in Roman society.

THE INTERVIEW

Hi Laurence 👋 Thanks for joining us! Tell us a bit about yourself 😊

Hi, I’m Laurence. Well, having graduated from Hull University Drama Department my career took some odd turns and, via TV journalism and PR, I ended up in the natural resources sector. Over 25 years or so I travelled the world meeting exciting people and smoked a lot of Marlboro Lights sitting on plastic chairs waiting for the rain/sun/riot to go away. I now live in Hampshire, vaping and waiting, with little hope, for the rain to stop. My family is also Anglo Hungarian so we spend a lot of time in Hungary, where the book is laregely set in.

Who or what inspired you to write “Danube Legion”? 

I’ve always been fascinated by the classical period (a wide timeline admittedly). When you look at Trojan’s column a question comes to mind of ‘how did they get all that stuff there?’, having watched ‘stuff’ and people being moved about into areas far far away of which we know little I thought it might make a good book. At times I also wondered if writing a book about the Roman army that isn’t interested in battles was a fundamentally stupid idea, but I think there’s enough mayhem within Danube Legion to keep more bloodthirsty readers interested.

“Danube Legion ” is a Roman army war novel set in Hungary – with a twist.  This novel although historically accurate, isn’t really about the battles – it’s more what’s behind the scenes in setting up a legion in the Roman Army.  There’s a lot of humour in the writing  and I adored the characters – especially Lady Lassalia ! 😊 Did you base a lot of your characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

Why thank you. Well..possibly characteristics of some who I’ve known made it in there, Lady Lassalia was very easy to write as was the Imperial Nephew. I did struggle with Scaurianus but after I delved into his back story a little, his time torturing circus hooligans who smashed statues up post match, it all seemed to come together a bit more. On the historical accuracy bit I did make up the ‘River Goats’, but that did come from a fascination with Roman hydraulics- what the hell was the Water Organ, anyway? I’ve also had an entertaining exchange on water born artillery pieces but I’m sticking to my ‘Skorpions’ on that one.

Hypothetically speaking, if Danube Legion was made into a film who would you pick to play the main characters, especially the feisty Lady Lassalia?

Easy for Lady Lassalia- Shoreh Aghdashloo. For the others..David Gyasi as Galba the armourer, Hugh Skinner as the Nephew, Rufus Sewell as ‘the Scipio’ scion, Damian Lews as the Emperor Trajan, Stephen Graham as ‘2’, the nearest to Peter O Toole (Michael Fassbender? although that would mean this is essentially Band of Brothers- Rome with the casting) currently possible for the Skipper and Sam Troughton as the Governor of Pannonia Inferior.

This novel is set in Hungary, where you spend a lot of your time when not in the UK. However,  if you could visit any country/place in the world, to base your next novel in, where would you go and why? 

I’m messing about with a fantasy novel set in 1850’s Germany. Central Europe fascinates me and ideas about Thirties Years war also abound.

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

Once I was, now less so but still read, mostly on the kindle. I really enjoyed the Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald while on holiday in the Rhine Gorge this year. One of many books my partner recommended to me and I usually willfully ignore (so she claims).

 Is “Danube Legion” available to purchase worldwide?

I believe it is, certainy on Amazon.

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author or did you have other career aspirations?

I always loved writing, it just took me a very long time to get to a novel.

As I have already mentioned, you spend a lot of time in Hungary. It is a place I haven’t visited, so what are the top 3 things that you love about Hungary?

Hmmm… Its certainly not a ‘have a nice day’ culture which I really enjoy. Hungary is one of the most beautiful places on earth whether sipping coffee in Budapest or out hiking in the countryside (plus when you get to know it your family can all scream at the television ‘Thats Hungary’ whether it be a period piece, fantasy or Marvel epic). A lot of culture- go see the Budapest Opera, even if you dont like the singing; decor and enormous salted pretzls make it all very worth while.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

This is my Ron Swanson moment- I own two pairs of shoes: one is an ancient black pair of RM Williams boots, one is an old pair of brown RM Williams boots. Depending on location I shall be in one or t’other. Carhart trousers, shirt and (as its winter),a fisherman’s jumper my partner believes I sew myself into during October like some sort of medieval peasant. I also have a continually rewaxed, much mented jacket that looks and smells as if a fox has lived a full and active life within it before expiring. 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

Rooster Sailing

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Er…Im resisting family presssure to buy a new coat.

Boots or Shoes?

I have long narrow feet, at the risk of sounding like a cheerleader for Andrew Forrest: RM Williams boots are the only footwear that has ever made sense. Just to be clear I have no commercial relationship with any Australian shoemakers but am very very open to the idea if this gets picked up on their Meltwater (you have to try).

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

Laurenceread@danubelegion on ‘X’, sometimes posted but was told I was a bot a few months ago so have been less engaged.

Fabulous chatting to you, Laurence! Thank you for the review copy of Danube Legion – I was pleasantly impressed by your novel, and I adored Lady Lassalia! 😊

Linda x

All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Laurence Read. photo credits go to Damien Lewis.
Thanks also to Ben Cameron of Cameron Publicity & Marketing

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Books, Interview, Reviews

A Hush At Midnight Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of Marlene M Bell’s “A Hush At Midnight” book tour. Based in Texas, author Marlene M Bell raises sheep when she’s not writing – and I couldn’t wait to chat to Marlene about her fabulous novel, and her love of sheep. But first, here’s a quick summary of “A Hush At Midnight” …

BOOK SUMMARY

Celebrity chef Laura Harris dwells on the horror of finding her mentor’s body in the groundskeeper’s disheveled bed—pillow and bedding half covering her open eyes—purple bruising around her mouth. A grisly snapshot in time revealing the Texas woman’s last moments during her attack. The elderly matriarch from the small town of Stenburg has left the physical world, and Laura is shattered.

She is catapulted headlong into the pursuit of a casual executioner, one bold enough to comeand go from the crime scene with ease, dropping bizarre crumb trails designed to mock thedeceased. But Laura herself doesn’t go unnoticed. As she digs deeper, she is followed and bombarded by warnings to leave the state.

When the victim’s attorney informs Laura that she’s to inherit the entire Stenburg fortune, the last act of kindness has made Laura the main person of interest in the investigation.

Message by message, Laura is methodically taunted by someone so deranged and driven they’ll do whatever it takes to dislodge Laura from Texas – permanently.

Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing (October 1, 2024)

Print length:  350 pages

MY INTERVIEW

Hi Marlene and welcome to the blog 👋

Hello 😊 My name is Marlene Bell but I use a middle initial to differentiate myself from the artist Marlene Bell who lives in the Northeast. I write as MARLENE M. BELL. I’m also an artist, photographer, and raise sheep when I’m not writing novels and marketing sheep-related gifts from my catalog and website. The sheep aspect of life began when I married my husband in 1982. We live in rural East Texas and escaped the San Joaquin Valley of California in 2012.

Who or what inspired you to write A Hush at Midnight?

My series installments were moving right along at a steady pace but I’d noticed the reviews pointed out an issue I’d developed in my writing. Because I knew my main character as well as I knew myself, I’d allowed her and others to falter. Backstory had taken a front seat more than it should have. A Hush at Midnight is the first standalone mystery I’ve written. The characters are different and the location moved to Texas to give myself a fresh feel for a new adventure. I felt this book was necessary to bring me back to the basics of characterization more as a refresher of the little things that made a main character stand out as a force to readers.

I really enjoyed reading your book, A Hush at Midnight and I particularly enjoyed the characters of Laura, her dad Zane (and his lady friend!) & Brent. What character did you particularly enjoy writing about? What character was the hardest to portray?

Writing quirky characters has to be my favorite thing to do when crafting an interesting story. Not so quirky that the reader feels the person is too far-fetched, but more believable. We’ve all met characters that stopped us in our tracks long enough to ask ourselves if they were for real. I have a few of these in A Hush at Midnight.

I think Jordan the groundskeeper was the most difficult because of his age. I tend to write like I speak in daily life. Writing a twenty-something young man (when I’m female) is the most challenging. Choosing the correct slang or lingo for a generation a few decades behind me will always be the most challenging for my work. My developmental editor calls me on this in every manuscript. “She sounds too old for her age…” or “You’ve added a few years to her by using that term.” Things like this keep me focused on terminology as much as the actual story. At age fifteen, I was going on thirty, so It’s not a surprise for me to write characters who sound older than their years.

I enjoyed the combination of thriller mixed in with a bit of romance; and the “relationship” between Laura & Hattie.  So, hypothetically speaking, if A Hush at Midnight was made into a film, who would you envisage to play the main characters?

I’d love to see wholesome actors and actresses for this book because I’m not a fan of what I see coming out of old Hollywood. Hallmark and the Hallmark Channel has the right idea when choosing their personalities to represent them. As an example, I could see Nikki DeLoach as Laura Harris and Kristopher Polaha as the attorney who represents the victim, Hattie. I love, love Kris Polaha’s smooth acting style and how well he settles in with just about any female actress he works with. My favorite Hallmark movies include him as the lead male. Nikki is also one from their culinary cozies that would fit my book-to-movie nicely.

The novel is based in Texas and briefly features England too. What made you pick that location for the novel?  

Having moved to Texas after being raised in California, I was surprised how beautiful East Texas is and how living in the area makes me feel good no matter how crazy the world gets on the outside. I had to write about this woodsy place and give my readers a sense of what it’s like to be here. It was a matter of time before a book of mine landed in Texas. The English aspect is also one of my favorite places since I’m a collector of sheep porcelain and love Staffordshire. The UK is known for Staffordshire and loads of sheep grazing the hillsides of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. James Herriot, the veterinarian from books and television, has his share of sheep in his practice. It’s a habit of mine to put a little bit of me in my stories. Sheep seem to find their way into most everything!

Growing up, did you envisage yourself as a writer or did you have other career aspirations?

Writing never entered my mind, but I was always a creative or sorts. I have the natural ability to draw and paint, so becoming an artist was my goal as a younger person. Either painting beautiful pictures or taking them with a camera. It wasn’t until our 4H club asked me to write a how-to book on raising sheep, that I went the way of an author.

Is A Hush at Midnight available to purchase worldwide?

Yes. All of my novels are available through Amazon including some on Ingram Spark and Barnes and Noble. Occasionally, the ebook can be found on other online outlets. My children’s book in hardbound is available only through me. Amazon does carry the eBook and paperback version of Mia and Nattie, however.

If you could visit any place in the world to inspire your next novel, where would you go and why? 

I’m currently researching an area to send one of my main characters to in the next Annalisse series book. Having a sea port is the only criteria. If your readers have suggestions, I’d love to hear them! The destination must be someplace exotic with an interesting culture. Part of the fun of writing is the research. Perhaps I’ll take out a world map, close my eyes and let my fingers find the next destination!

Are you a bookworm yourself? If so, what genres (or authors) do you usually like to read? And are you a kindle or “proper book” fan?

I am now, but wasn’t always a reader. It wasn’t until my attempt at writing suffered, that I understood the importance of reading other authors. A lot. The more I read, the easier the words flow. I used to be a staunch romance person, but switched to mystery and crime fiction once I found my comfort zone there in my own writing. I have a Kindle but never used it. I prefer the old-fashioned feel of a paperback in my hands.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

That’s easy. On a ranch we wear jeans, boots, and a comfortable shirt. The less cumbersome the better. We can be hot and humid here in Texas.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I’m a bit of an online nut when it comes to ordering merchandise. Just like our sheep; I never met an online company I didn’t like. This began when mail order catalogs were all the rage in the 1970s and 80s. It’s the reason why I also have my own mail order catalog and offer sheep-related gifts on ewephoric.com. Placing orders in catalogs and waiting for the merchandise to arrive was my favorite pastime in my twenties while I worked in an office for someone else. I still order…but instead use credit and no longer send bank checks. From clothing shopping to food items, and of course books, there is nothing that escapes my curiosity online. My book giveaways usually include unique items I’ve found that relate to each new novel. Our sheep products are also purchased from vendors online.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

While indoors, I move around in flats and comfortable shoes. I do like the ankle high boots also, though. Winter is coming so it’s more boots for me! With three closets and a cedar chest full of clothing, this might be the first time I won’t be ordering anything more for drawers full of jeans.

Boots or Shoes?

Ranch duties on a sheep facility require boots, especially for the occasional snake that happens to cross in front of me! On our pond or dry land. Exposure of skin at the ankles can be hazardous to your health in the woods or a pile of leaves in the fall.

Links you would like to share:

SOCIAL MEDIA and websites

Facebook Author Page:  fb.me/marlenembell  

(Personal Page) https://www.facebook.com/marlene.bell.3194

X (Formerly Twitter)  https://www.x.com/ewephoric     @ewephoric

BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marlene-m-bell

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17642396.Marlene_M_Bell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlenemysteries/

Ewephoric sheep and gifts website: https://www.ewephoric.com

BOOK TOUR DATES

Great to catch up with “ewe”, Marlene ,on your book tour! Thank you for the review copy of A Hush At Midnight. All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Marlene Bell.
Photography credits: Dalton Photography ; blog header pic – Linda Hobden

Linda x

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Books, Interview, Life Issues/ Motivational Posts

Spotlight On The Bristol Pound Legacy

It’s been budget week in the UK … and talk of money, finances and taxes leads me to the interesting story of The Bristol Pound. The Bristol Pound was a local currency that operated from 2012 to 2021. Among its aims was to build community wealth and to raise awareness of the importance of local trading. The Bristol Pound was the first local currency to have digital and paper money from the outset; and was the first local currency to be accepted for payment of local taxes. Working for The Bristol Pound, my guest this week, Diana Finch, wrote a book “Value Beyond Money”, outlining the story of The Bristol Pound …. I caught up with Diana to find out more…. Hi Diana 😊

Hello. My name is Diana. I live in Bristol, but I only moved here because I got the job at the Bristol Pound. Before that I lived in many different places – Bath, Wiltshire, Devon, Kent, London and Edinburgh. I’m a mother of two grown up girls. In my spare time I currently enjoy dancing and playing the piano badly. I’ve worked in accounts most of my life, and for the last 24 years, I’ve focused on leadership roles within the voluntary sector.

Who or what inspired you to write the interesting Bristol Pound story  “Value Beyond Money”?

When it became clear that the Bristol Pound would be wound up on my watch, I suggested to the board that when the time came, I’d like to write a book to leave a legacy for the organisation. At first it seemed like an easy thing to offer, but as the time got closer, I realised that writing a book would be more of a commitment than I’d thought! 

Your book highlighted the enthusiasm, hard work and encouragement; as well as the importance of the aims; and unfortunately, its eventual closure in 2023 encompassing the Bristol Pound/BristolPay. It really is a “warts ‘n’ all” tale. Although you were not involved at the beginning of the Bristol Pound set up; did you discover anything surprising during your research that you were perhaps unaware of? 

I was really completely unaware of the story as it unfolds in chapters two and three of the book – from when the founders first met, through the height of its success and fame, right through to when the organisation was really struggling (which led to the vacancy for managing director being advertised). The biggest surprise was that so much of our funding was to create a mutual credit scheme that we never actually got off the ground! Part of me wishes I’d known more when I joined. But then maybe I would have felt more constricted in what I could do. But the main thing is, I’m really pleased to have understood all that background to my work now, as it puts it into a fuller perspective.

The Bristol Pound/ Pay aims were to raise awareness of the importance of localisation of trade to help towards reducing food miles/co2 emissions and to build community wealth by trapping money in the local currency.  It was the first local currency to have digital & paper money from the outset; and the first local currency to enable the payment of local taxes in the local currency. Who was attracted to the ideals of the local currency and why, do you think the attraction wasn’t maintained or extended? 

The people who were attracted to our ideals initially were the people who already thought like us – who had a similar understanding of the economy and the importance of localisation. It’s no surprise, as our marketing messages very much focused on our purpose. We thought, I think, that once we’d got people who understood the cause on board, the use of the currency would just grow organically. But in reality, the only people who ever joined were people who thought like us. It didn’t really speak to people who hadn’t thought in these ways about the economy, so they didn’t join. And without that critical mass, we could never really grow to the point where we would either be viable as a business ourselves, or create real impact in the economy.

How much do you think people in Bristol would have benefited, in general, from having a local currency? 

It’s very hard to say. And it would have depended on other institutions really getting on board and viewing the currency as an infrastructure project, rather than a niche hobby. I think with some additional collaboration, the potential was enormous. For example, imagine if payments in the currency were made to people struggling with food poverty, instead of using that money to support food banks. We could then encourage local grocers and farmers to set up markets in parts of the city particularly affected by food poverty, which the people in receipt of the payments could spend their money at. This would be amazing. Instead of food banks undermining the local food economy, as they currently do, we could be underpinning the local food economy whilst alleviating food poverty.  And instead of people in food poverty having to put up with whatever happened to be available at the food bank, they would have choice and control over the food they buy. There are lots of ideas like that – the scope for experimenting with different ways of addressing our social, environmental and economic problems was (and is) huge.

Reflecting on other local currency schemes worldwide, is there any method or thought that could have, on hindsight, been adopted by Bristol to ensure it remained buoyant?

In South Korea, lots of local currencies have been set up in the last decade. They have been heavily supported by local governments, with social benefits being paid out in the local currencies. The reason the local authorities are keen on this is that the money they give out in benefits gets spent in the local economy. So, they achieve two positive impacts with the funding they provide – alleviating poverty and boosting local businesses. I think that kind of approach would have been really helpful, as it would have meant that the money was available to a much wider demographic, rather than only to those who align themselves with a particular economic way of thinking. At that scale, the impact would have been much greater.

I was particularly impressed to read about the artwork on the old Bristol pound notes and so I was pleased to see the souvenir notes on display on your website. They are so colourful.   Do you have a favourite or two that you are particularly drawn to? 

Perhaps it’s because they’re the notes that I know the best, but the 2018 series are my favourites. I would find it hard to choose between them. They all feel very iconic to Bristol, though I guess urban foxes (the beautiful £B10 note) are found in most towns and cities these days.

Growing up, did you always want a career in finance or did you have completely different career aspirations? 

I really had no idea what I wanted to do when I was younger. I fell into bookkeeping because I was good with numbers. And then I decided to work in the voluntary sector after I became a mother, as I started to become more aware of the numbers of families really struggling. It was only when I got the job at the Bristol Pound at the age of 53 that I really thought, ‘Now this is what I really want to do when I grow up!’

 Is “Value Beyond Money” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes – it should be available anywhere through Amazon, I think.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I have to say, I think I’m a bit of a mess! I try not to buy new clothes because of the impact on the environment. A lot of my clothes are from charity shops or are hand-me-downs. I also make some of my own clothes – that way I can buy organic cotton and make the styles I want. If you try to buy clothes made ethically, there is little choice, and the costs are astronomical! When I’m dancing, I wear a lot of skirts and dresses that flow or swing out (wearing shorts underneath, for modesty.) Otherwise, I’m generally in trousers or jeans with t-shirts and jumpers. In terms of shoes, they’re nearly all flat. Clumpy boots most of the winter, and sensible walking sandals in the summer.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

All the charity shops down the high street are my favourite boutiques! I tend to use online shops for things like my face oil and toothpaste – I try to buy products that don’t come in plastic containers, and without any chemicals or artificial fragrances. I rarely wear any makeup, and don’t possess any perfume. I don’t wear jewellery either. 

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I’ve got some fabric that I want to make into a skater style dress. I thought I would do it in time for this summer – but it will have to be next summer now!

Boots or Shoes?

Boots for walking – more support and I find them more flexible than shoes. I’m thinking of trying out barefoot-style footwear next time I need to replace my boots. Shoes for dancing – with leather bottoms for ease of spinning. 

For Pinning Later

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc 

My author website: https://www.dianafinch.info/

Bristol Pound legacy (with shop): https://www.bristolpoundlegacy.info/

Instagram: Diana Finch (@dadafinchy) • Instagram photos and videos

X: Diana Finch (@DianaJFinch) / X

LinkedIn: Diana Finch | LinkedIn

Thank you Diana for chatting to us today. Thanks also for the preview copy of “Value Beyond Money”.

Linda x


All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Diana Finch

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Books, Interview, Reviews

My Year Of Casual Acquaintances Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the book tour for author Ruth F Stevens’ latest book, My Year Of Casual Acquaintances. And, my oh my, what a fun read it was – it was a delicious mix of laugh out loud moments, sad moments and great “people watching” type moments. Just the type of book to read when it’s cold outside but also great to pack for your holidays too. Before I introduce Ruth onto the blog, here’s a quick book summary to whet your appetite…

BOOK SUMMARY

When Mar Meyer’s husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it’s not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures – as long as she can keep things casual.

With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant, a kindly older gentleman . . . and Charlie, a handsome best-selling novelist who wants more from Mar than she’s able to give. She learns something new from each encounter. But can she change enough to open herself up to happiness and true connection? Surrounded by an ensemble of quirky, endearing characters, Mar follows a tortuous and unpredictable path as she navigates the first year of her reinvented life. My Year of Casual Acquaintances is packed with laugh-out-loud moments mingled with scenes of loneliness and self-doubt that will put a lump in your throat.

MY INTERVIEW

Hello Ruth and welcome to the blog. Please tell us a bit about yourself 😊

Hello, 😊 I like to create stories that will make readers laugh and cry. A former public relations executive in New York and Los Angeles, I’m a produced playwright and author of a previous novel, Stage Seven, which was a featured selection of national online book club and Alzheimer’s awareness organizations. I volunteer as acquisitions editor in charge of fiction for AlzAuthors, a nonprofit online organization that offers books, podcasts, and other resources to dementia patients and caregivers. I’m also a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Dramatists Guild of America and proud grandmother to two wonderful boys. My husband and I live in the coastal South Bay area of Los Angeles, where my two upcoming novels are set.

Who or what inspired you to write “My Year Of Casual Acquaintances”? 

I’ve worked from a home office for many years, starting way before it became common practice. Every day I’d go to a nearby health club, mostly to fitness classes. Before long, I realized I was doing it as much for the social interaction as I was for the exercise. I became fascinated by the way people interact at the gym and the relationships that are formed. I thought this would be a terrific premise for a work of fiction.

“My Year Of Casual Acquaintances ” is a “funny -sad” of a 50 year old divorcee (Mar Meyer), embracing growth post divorce and her casual acquaintances she meets each month.  I absolutely loved Mar – and her determination to get a life for herself away from her ex husband and new partner.   I laughed until I cried at some of Mar’s antics and yet, there were sad moments too, with the occasional comeuppance moments thrown in too.  The characters are very believable  – did you base a lot of your characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

Well, Mar definitely inherited my snark and my love of hip-hop classes and wine. But her life is not my life. In general, the characters come from my imagination, but some of the dialog and certain events in the story are based on real-life. For example, in the Prologue, Mar crashes her Prius, and the description of that collision is based closely on an accident I had several years ago.

Which characters were the most fun to write? Mar, for sure; and I also enjoyed writing about Charlie, the main romantic interest. Confession: I always fall in love with my leading men. (Don’t tell my husband, please.)  I also enjoy writing sarcastic characters like Judith, the potty-mouthed organizational consultant. Writing about Mrs. Ostrowski, the elderly neighbor with memory issues, was a bit painful because it brought back memories of my mother, who also had Alzheimer’s.

Hypothetically speaking, if “My Year Of Casual Acquaintances” was made into a film who would you cast as the main characters, especially Mar, Charlie, Henry & his new partner? oh, and the other acquaintances too?

Mar (narrator): Sutton Foster would be perfect.

Henry (ex-husband): Thibault de Montalembert, a French actor who was in a very funny television series titled Call My Agent. When I saw him for the first time, I pointed at the TV and said, “He’s Henry!” That’s never happened to me before.

Alice (Henry’s new partner): Maybe Kathy Bates when she was around 50.

Charlie (love interest): Still undecided on that one. I can picture his long, lithe physique, but the face is still blurry. If you have a casting suggestion, I’d love to hear it!

For Pinning Later

If you could visit any country/place in the world, to base your next novel in, where would you go and why? 

Every time I read a book set in Italy, I’m enchanted by the setting, the food, the characters.  So that would be my top pick. Full disclosure: I’ve only traveled to Italy once, and I need a good excuse to go back and spend more time there. A lot more time. 

 Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I lead a book club and am a member of three others, so I guess that qualifies me as a bookworm. I used to confine my reading to literary and women’s fiction. But after signing with my current publisher, Black Rose Writing, I discovered that the authors frequently read one another’s books and exchange reviews. This activity has opened me up to many genres I used to ignore: YA, memoirs, mysteries, crime fiction . . . you name it. I’m enjoying them all.  

There’s still nothing quite like holding a “real” book in my hands. But I travel so much, I’ve come to enjoy the convenience of e-books. A couple of years ago, I also started listening to audiobooks while walking, driving, or fixing dinner. I try to have an audiobook and a regular book going at all times. It’s probably doubled my reading output.

Is “My Year Of Casual Acquaintances ” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes! It’s available from all major online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org. 

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author or did you have other career aspirations?

I always wanted to be a writer of some sort. From the time I was a little girl, I would sit at the typewriter and write poems, stories, even newsletters. I guess it was good training for my PR and advertising career. 

When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I enjoy travel, hiking, hip-hop and fitness classes, yoga, Broadway musicals, wine tasting, book clubs, and visiting my grandsons in NYC

An Italian cup of coffee © Linda Hobden

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Since I work from home and exercise daily, I’m pretty casual—fitness attire or shorts and t-shirts, long pants and hoodies in cooler weather. For footwear: sneakers or sandals. For hip hop classes, I wear jazz shoes, even though they are no longer considered fashionable.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

Lately,  I’ve been shopping at the Soft Surroundings website—I find their clothes to be comfortable but stylish. Lululemon and Athleta for fitness, REI for hiking, Uniqlo for value sweaters and packable down.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Smart-looking jackets! 

Boots or Shoes?

Definitely shoes—for two reasons: (1) In Los Angeles, boots are not really necessary from a weather standpoint; and (2) I inherited my father’s bulging calf muscles, and it’s always been difficult for me to find boots that fit well.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

Website: https://ruthfstevens.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthfstevensauthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rfsauthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ruth-f-stevens

BOOK TOUR DATES

Lovely to chat with you Ruth! I’m still thinking who could play Charlie …..

My thanks to Ruth for the preview copy of “My Year Of Casual Acquaintances “. All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Ruth F Stevens; (other photos are by Linda Hobden where marked).

Linda x

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Books, Interview

Author Interview: Tony McMahon

What is the link between Jack the Ripper and Abraham Lincoln? A strange question you might think. One is a notorious murderer whose killings terrorised women in the East End of London in 1888; the other was President of the USA who was assassinated in 1865. My guest this week, historian and author Tony McMahon, explores this link in his book, aptly named “Jack The Ripper and Abraham Lincoln”. This book is absolutely fascinating and I am so pleased to welcome Tony onto the blog to explain his investigations, and his book. But first, here’s a quick book summary:

BOOK SUMMARYi

A fraudulent doctor, Francis Tumblety, is implicated in both the 1865 assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in Washington DC and the 1888 Jack the Ripper killings in the East End of London. It seems incredible but the compelling evidence is revealed in this book.

We delve into the murderous trail left by Tumblety – one that stretches from America’s Gilded Age to the poverty-ridden slums of London’s Whitechapel district and explore the murky underworld which enabled his horrific crimes. He was a flamboyant huckster, well known in the newspaper gossip columns though his celebrity masked his homicidal tendencies. Arrested over clear links to the Lincoln assassination then released while others were hanged on the scaffold. Locked up by Scotland Yard as a prime Jack the Ripper suspect, but then made a daring escape. The proof is overwhelming that Tumblety, a man who possessed a grisly collection of uteruses in a cabinet of curiosities, was undoubtedly Jack the Ripper.

THE INTERVIEW

Hello Tony and welcome to the blog 😊

Hello, 😊I’m Tony McMahon – a book author and a regular contributor on TV history and science documentaries. My background is in TV and print news journalism going back to the 1990s and I love researching true crime and historical cases.

What gave you the initial idea to investigate Francis Tumblety and his links with both the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the Jack The Ripper killing; and to write this very intriguing investigative book of your findings?

A couple of years ago, I appeared on an episode of History channel’s documentary series ‘William Shatner’s The UnXplained’ to talk about the larger-than-life American arrested as a Jack the  Ripper suspect in London in 1888. He was a rather eccentric chap called Francis Tumblety. Now, I knew the name of this suspect, but my research for this TV show left me astonished. There were so many layers to his story. Here was a man implicated in not just the Ripper case but also – twenty-five years before – the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln – as well as many other crimes. I had to investigate further and the stories that emerged were so compelling, I decided it needed a book.

I really enjoyed reading your book, “Jack The Ripper And Abraham Lincoln”. Researching the life of Francis Tumblety must have been quite interesting..…what nugget of information did you uncover that was totally unexpected?

I loved immersing myself in all the scandals of the American Civil War period, the Gilded Age, and the seedier side of Victorian London. The newspapers from that period were surprisingly candid and quite racy. Really demolishes the notion of buttoned-up, starchy Victorians. The nugget that excited me the most about Tumblety was discovering an interview from years after his death with a retired police captain in Buffalo, New York state, who had seen Tumblety with President Lincoln’s killer, John Wilkes Booth. Connecting those two men was really important. What also intrigued me writing the book was realising that Tumblety was being protected all the time by influential networks that meant he never served time behind bars or dangled from the hangman’s rope.

The thought that he had a collection of uteruses in a cabinet of curiosities is rather chilling… but could his celebrity status in the USA have given him a cloak of invisibility and were there any possibilities that he could have committed Jack The Ripper style killings prior to 1888 in the USA?

Even nineteenth century opinion was horrified by the reports of his collection of uteruses in glass jars that he used to display after his all-male dinner parties. Once Scotland Yard heard about that from their American police counterparts, they were convinced he was Jack the Ripper. Regarding his undoubted celebrity in America and Canada – I think you’re right that being so prominent was a form of protection. He was operating in plain sight, almost daring the authorities to come and get him. And of course they did on occasion but Tumblety always wriggled off the hook. Prior to the Ripper killings we know for certain he was implicated in two manslaughter cases and American sources speculated that Tumblety and one of his ‘valets’, referred to as Jack the Texan, could have been behind a series of gruesome murders in Texas known as the Servant Girl Annihilator killings. 

Why was Tumblety released when the rest of his fellow Lincoln assassination gang members were hanged?

Before Tumblety was arrested and imprisoned, Lincoln’s killer John Wilkes Booth had been shot dead. There is no doubt that Tumblety and Booth knew each other. We also know from contemporary newspaper accounts that he employed David Herold, one of the four plotters hanged over the Lincoln assassination and the interview with the retired police captain confirms that Tumblety also was connected to Mary Surratt, the only woman hanged in relation to the case. Tumblety was not only accused of being an assassination plotter but of being involved in a conspiracy to spread yellow fever among Union troops during the American Civil War. And yet he walked free from the Old Capitol Prison. This troubled me and the explanation that seems most plausible to me is his connections. This really was a “who you know” kind of world. And Tumblety, the inveterate networker, had tapped up the right people as a kind of insurance policy – and it paid off well.

Growing up, had you always wanted to be a historian or did your career aspirations lay elsewhere?

I always loved writing – and still do. My brain just flows through my fingertips on to the keyboard. When I was a kid, I thought I might like to be an archaeologist but never pursued that path. Maybe I prefer not to get my hands too dirty! Researching, writing, and public speaking are my true loves.

For pinning later. ©Linda Hobden

Is “Jack The Ripper And Abraham Lincoln” available to purchase worldwide? 

It is indeed. Inevitably, it’s on Amazon and can be bought in print and digital form. The audible version is not available yet. But you can find it on most top book retailer sites.

Are you a bookworm? If so, what genres (or authors) do you usually like to read? And are you a kindle or “proper book” fan?

I have a vast amount of books and old newspapers in shelves up to the ceiling. It’s a great backdrop for Zoom interviews but I really need to rein in my book buying. I’m still very much a “proper book” person as paper gives you that unique reading experience that’s hard to describe. Tend to read a lot of non-fiction history and politics stuff but when it comes to fiction, no surprise that the historical fiction champions like Hilary Mantel and Robert Harris are favourites. 

As  you are a historian, do you have a particular favourite period in history? 

I’ve been commissioned by the publishing house Pen & Sword to write a trilogy on the Knights Templar so I’m living in the Middle Ages right now. I’m fascinated by the Crusades and of course so much of the politics of that period has resonated down the centuries. But I’m equally a big fan of the nineteenth century and having grown up in the 1970s, I’ve always been fond of that much abused decade.

© Linda Hobden

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

In the winter months, I love going all tweed and brogues. With my sweeping beard and twirly moustache, I can look very Edwardian. 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

I adore cheese and indulge that addiction at Paxton & Whitfield on Jermyn Street, every so often, which has an amazing selection of cheeses. They also do cheese tasting classes which I recommend.

Every three months, I go to the quarterly Bloomsbury Ephemera Fair in central London where you can get everything from early Victorian theatre posters to ancient medieval maps. 

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish lists?

When it comes to clothes, Son of a Stag off Brick Lane has an amazing selection of heritage clothing including Japanese denim and American workwear if I want something butch and fashionable.

Boots or Shoes?

I love fashionable sneakers. I’ll pop down to Shoreditch and Brick Lane every so often to get some cool footwear. The only thing is, I wear my sneakers to death – until they fall apart. I’m not only of these people who keeps his footwear in pristine condition.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

I run several blogs. 

My London history blog: https://london-ghosts.com/

Beardy History covers everything and anything: https://beardyhistory.com/

My obsession with the 1970s can be explored here: https://the70s80s90s.com/

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Knights Templar: https://thetemplarknight.com/

Great to chat to you Tony. I found the book absolutely fascinating – thank you for the review copy. My thanks also to Ben Cameron of Cameron Publicity & Marketing.

Linda x

Photographs have been published with kind permission of Tony McMahon as well as photographs by Linda Hobden.

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Books, Childrenswear/Child & Family Related Posts, Interview, Travel

An Interview With Leona Cobham

Like grandfather, like granddaughter … my guest this week is Leona Cobham, granddaughter of aviation pioneer, Sir Alan Cobham. Sir Alan Cobham was an aviation legend – he was a test pilot, an explorer and the inventor of air-to-air refuelling. Leona shares his passion of flying, travel and aviation engineering. Keen to spread the love of aviation, Leona has written a book series for children aged 7 -12 called, Aeroplane Adventures – a collection of fun stories combined with aeroplane facts and terminology. I caught up with Leona to find out more about her aeroplane passion, her books, her travels and her grandfather…. Welcome Leona 😊

Hello 😊 I’m Leona. I’m passionate about inspiring youngsters. We each learn differently but one thing that does inspire all of us is a sense of wonder. If we want to draw kids off their devices and into real life, they must get a thrill out of real life. So my books are packed with thrilling stuff. I’ve kept the stories fast-paced, easy to follow and full of adventure. I’ve recently become a STEM ambassador so I can go to schools and museums to do presentations around the themes in my books.

You’ve written a book series for children aged 7 – 12 called Aeroplane Adventures. The first book is Flying Circus Takes to the Skies and the second is Flying Circus Through Thick andThin. Who are the characters and what do they get up to? 

At the centre we have our fearless Flying Circus quartet: Woody the Tiger Moth, Spif the Spitfire, Vul, the Avro Vulcan, and Tom the F-14 Tomcat. Each talking plane has a life – and mind – of its own. Each plane has its own distinct purpose and personality. Together, they form a formidable team that’s up for any challenge, both on the ground and in the air.

Tom the F-14 Tomcat has this belief that he’s only valued for his speed. He’s determined to win a race to Australia to keep their air show alive but gets distracted by his nemesis, an F-15 Eagle, who challenges him to manoeuvres on an aircraft carrier. This is a great opportunity for me to share the excitement of landing and take-off from an aircraft carrier, engaging the arresting wire and then launching with the catapult. 

Woody meanwhile, the wooden biplane, has low self-esteem and feels the other aeroplanes are more capable than him. While he compares himself to Tom, the supersonic F-14 Tomcat, and fears that his relative lack of speed will hamper the team effort in a race to Australia, it’s actually his unique ability to land on a very short, unsurfaced runway which eventually saves the team because he collects the equipment Tom needs to refuel mid-air. Whereas he thought Woody, the little wooden biplane, would be the weak link in this race to Australia, in fact Tom is the one who runs out of fuel and jeopardises their chances. And it’s Woody who helps Tom out. But the friends don’t shame Tom in his moment of humility, so Tom is able to feel that friends go the extra mile for each other in times of need and friendship isn’t conditional on him always being at the top of his game. 

When we hear the characters’ thoughts, we feel close to them. The message to young readers is we all have gifts to bring to the table. We are all heroes on a journey.

Who or what inspired you to start your writing career? 

I believe it’s important to get children back into reading. Children are reading less than any previous generation; a third of children surveyed said they couldn’t find things to read that interested them. Yet research shows that strong reading skills are key to successful learning. So, I felt compelled to combine exciting fiction, which is enjoyable to read, with plenty of facts. Many children groan at the thought of learning, but I honestly believe it’s possible to enjoy the process. By combining feel-good adventures with facts about aviation, my readers see how aeroplanes pull off the feats they do. 

I am also passionate about giving children life skills within the books: how to come back from making mistakes, how to ask for help without losing face, how to feel enough; ultimately, how to develop an inner feeling of significance which doesn’t depend on the approval of others. I do this by creating a world of flawed, lovable characters. This concept that we’re lovable despite our flaws is key for child development. It’s ok not to be perfect, it’s ok to make mistakes. And we need not be ashamed of them. The characters find themselves in situations which generate relatable emotions like fear, embarrassment, and conflict. And through the characters’ point of view, we tackle these situations. We see how they can be resolved.

The two Aeroplane Adventures are collections of fun stories with messages about teamwork and friendship interwoven with lots of facts about aeroplanes. What do you enjoy most about writing for children?

I’m an impatient reader myself, and so are most children. When writing for children, you need to keep up the pace by maintaining suspense and having a pressing problem that must be solved. There needs to be an important ‘why?’ in the story. I enjoy this challenge. Also, Ilike to infuse my stories with humour, adventure, and a feel-good factor. I think these elements are important in children’s literature, particularly these days when there are so many dark stories on the market. I think we learn best when we’re having fun and when we feel safe. It’s comforting to laugh at life’s predicaments sometimes. We are not perfect, and my message to children is: ‘That’s ok!’. I create flawed, lovable characters because grasping the fact that we are lovable despite our flaws is fundamental to healthy child development.

I create scenarios where children can see how our individuality is a good thing. We each offer value in our own way. We don’t want a world where we are all good at the same thing and weak at the same thing! For example, Woody the little biplane, may be slow but he can land on unsurfaced runways which is a pretty handy little skill! It saves the team on a race to Australia in my first book. It also means he can fly slowly without stalling which enables him to guide the Chinook when the team are putting out a forest fire in the second book. All the characters are different, like we are. The message is to look at your unique characteristics and consider what value you can bring to any situation.

Your grandfather is aviation pioneer Sir Alan Cobham – does your love for all things aviation stem from your background?  

Aviation has always held positive associations for me. My grandfather was passionate about encouraging people to fly and enjoy flight. I grew up seeing aviation as thrilling and inspirational. I have adopted flight as a metaphor: inspiring young readers to get into the pilot’s seat in their own lives, to spread their wings, and fly.

What do you love most about flying/aeroplanes?

I remember being on flights with my dad as a child. When the aeroplane had taxied to the top of the runway and the captain was seeking clearance from air traffic control, he would always say “look out of the window, we’re about to take off”. And to this day, I get a burst of adrenaline when I’m sitting in an aeroplane at the top of the runway. The pilot opens up the throttles and you can feel the plane trembling; then he eases off the brakes and we go hurtling down the track. The air passing quicker under the wing than over it generates lift and we get airborne. It’s still the most thrilling thing for me. And I’m not even in the pilot’s seat. It’s those emotions I want to pass on to the next generation. 

An airshow is a great start for those of us who love ‘things-that-go’. The sound of a fighter jet epitomizes raw power; then there’s the sensation of the blast from the slipstream, the smell of the jet fuel, and as for the sight! Even an airport is pretty exciting. It’s simply awesome to see a 560-ton A380 lift into the sky. I mean… HOW?

You have spent some time working in a forest recuperation project in Brazil and did volunteer teaching in a shanty town.  What did those experiences teach you?  How hard was it to adapt to life in Brazil? 

My experiences in Brazil and working as a classroom reading assistant have given me anunderstanding of different learning styles which I keep in mind when I am writing. I try to cover the visual learners with a plethora of clear diagrams, the contextual learners with background stories where they can see the technology in operation. For example, when Nighthawk gets lost, the other planes struggle to find her because she is a stealth plane and she has a very small radar return. This gives my reader a visual on how radar works. For those who can’t get enough information and love to research stuff, there’s plenty of information in the glossary section. I’ve made it easier by emboldening words in the text that are referenced in the glossary.

I encountered cultural differences when I moved to Brazil, and I realised that accepting differences is a life skill. I write about this in my books. It’s never easy to gracefully accept alternate points of view if they seem to threaten ours, is it? In a story called Hats Off to Spifin Book 2, the Spitfire is challenged to tolerate an alternative take on an episode from history that’s close to his heart. Through his character arc in this story, my readers see how Spif’s flexibility doesn’t weaken him. In fact, his ability to keep calm and remain untriggered elevates him from fine leader to great leader.

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I am a collector of books and I have had to adopt a rule: if a book comes in, then one has to go out and be donated to the local library. I read a lot of aviation books, mostly non-fiction. I choose physical books because I often underline good sentences. I like audiobooks but end up buying a copy of the physical book as well!

Are your “Aeroplane Adventures” books available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, they are available from to order from bookshops and also on Amazon. I have published US versions of the books for those who want American spelling. The word aeroplane/airplane is the first one that causes confusion!

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author, pilot or did you have other career aspirations?

I am a born researcher. I go down rabbit holes on a wide variety of subjects from aircraft carriers to eighteenth century French textiles! I love looking after living things; I wanted to work with plants and animals from a young age, and I did so, though my work in Brazil with forest recuperation. 

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I have discovered ‘history bounding’. I like floaty dresses that take me back to another time in history. I go for natural fabrics wherever possible: cotton, silk, and wool. When I walk my dog, I imagine myself in a Jane Austen novel! Once I am bored with an item of clothing, I get out my fabric scissors and cut it into a new item. 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I like unusual styles that go with my ‘history bounding’ so I shop from a very wide variety of sources. The clothes I like are verging on costume. But I just wear one element of the costume at a time. I saw a lovely blouse on Sezanne recently with a ruffle collar. That’s the sort of thing I like.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I’m not very good at wearing heels so I’m looking for some pretty suede lace-up flats which I can convert into ‘going out’ shoes with ribbons instead of shoelaces…

Boots or Shoes? 

I go back to wearing boots as soon as Autumn begins. I get on much better with heels if I’m wearing boots. And I think knee boots look great with a knee-length skirt. Timeless.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

My website is:

www.cobhamwings.co.uk

The Amazon links to my books are as follows.

Book 1: Flying Circus Takes to the Skies

Book 2: Flying Circus Through Thick and Thin

Great to chat with you Leona! I hope your books will not only encourage budding young aviators to spread their wings and embrace the thrill of travel; but to also discover how to help each other, acknowledge our different strengths and to nurture long lasting friendships.

Linda x

All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Leona Cobham

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Books, Interview, Life Issues/ Motivational Posts, Reviews

Author Interview: David Griffiths

Every now and then you come across a novel intended for the YA market but actually the storyline is so riveting and the writing is so eloquent that it appeals to older adults too. “How To Hear Ghosts” by David Griffiths is one such book. I was hooked from page one! The storyline delves into such topics such as whether there is an afterlife, the reality of mental illness and the lure of psychic shows. The characters are totally believable, and the subtle twists and turns in the storyline certainly kept me entertained. How could I not interview the author, David Griffiths?! 😀 Before I introduce David to the blog, here’s a quick summary of his fabulous book:

BOOK SUMMARY

In the wake of his mother’s death, 16-year-old Ollie is thrust into the world of his uncle, Dominic Quinn, a renowned stage medium. Communing with the dead runs in Ollie’s family – or so he believes. But as he starts to hear voices in his head, he must confront the possibility that they are no more than a spiral into hereditary madness.

Haunted by the mysterious letter that plagued his mum’s final days, Ollie embarks on a quest for answers. With the help of one of his uncle’s mysterious books and the support of his classmate, Hannah, Ollie delves into the secrets surrounding his mother’s past.

But as he navigates the blurred line between reality and the paranormal, he must face a daunting question: will it make him famous like his uncle, or dead like his mother? In this gripping young adult novel, Ollie discovers that sometimes, the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we carry inside.

THE INTERVIEW

Hello. I’m David. I’m an ex-English teacher based in Liverpool who’s had a life-long obsession with all things Gothic – that’s something often frowned upon by other English teachers. I recently started teaching at Manchester Met University where things are more liberal, and since then I’ve gone from writing about ghosts to actually becoming one – I’m currently working as a professional ghostwriter, which is a fascinating experience … except I’m not allowed to tell anyone what I’m writing about! 

Who or what inspired you to write “How To Hear Ghosts”? 

My inspiration for writing about the uncanny dates back to childhood. My parents, bless them, had the idea that we’d save money if we booked a holiday abroad out of season. This turned out to be true. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the hotel the place was completely and utterly deserted. (N.B. Never underestimate the importance of other human beings when it comes to enjoying your overseas holidays.) I was bored and increasingly spooked by the enormity and silence of the empty hotel. I turned to literature for solace. Unfortunately, the only book I’d brought with me was Stephen King’s “The Shining”. Let’s say it intensified the experience. I still find myself glancing over my shoulder whenever I’m walking a hotel corridor and happen to pass by room 217.

How To Hear Ghosts ” is a YA story that delves into the reality of mental illness, theory of afterlife and the role of mediums.  The characters are a fabulous mix  – from the main character Ollie, his Uncle Dominic – a phoney medium, Ollie’s school friend Hannah , to Marsha – Dominic’s hard nosed agent. Did you base a lot of your characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

It’s hard to write a novel in first person and not include some element of your personality in your main character. At first, Ollie was a wittier, more entertaining (and more troubled) version of my teenage self. But it’s important to give your protagonists their own distinct identity, which emerged eventually, as all strong characters do. As for basing characters  on real people, Dominic Quinn is certainly a product of the strange climate we’ve all lived through during the last six or seven years, which have seen a bewildering rise in the number of populist politicians and chancers who have emerged to charm and seduce voters with comforting notions that a “black and white”, simple solution can solve their complex problems. Dominic is a similar type of snake-oil salesman.

It’s a huge cliche to say that the characters in a novel “talk” to the author and start writing the story themselves. It sounds phoney and pretentious but it’s true. Marsha virtually barged into the room and took charge of my pen, telling me I’d better buck up and organise things more efficiently. She’s awful and ultimately sinister, perhaps, but I absolutely adored her. She made things so easy because she’s so assertive.

With “How to Hear Ghosts” I tried to subvert the Young Adult Gothic tradition which, since Twilight, focusses on female protagonists. I wanted a young male hero but I wanted the book to appeal to male and female readers. I also wanted to avoid the usual cliches of helpless female and strong, silent, brooding male (who’s usually a vampire). I probably over-thought it initially. But that ended when Hannah came into the story. She’s stronger than Ollie and certainly no one’s idea of a side-kick or plot device. When she appeared it was natural and right.

What do you enjoy most about writing novels for young adults? 

Writing for young adults is something I’m drawn to because those teenage years are so dramatic. Everything you experience is so intense: if you fall in love, it’s HUGE. If you feel hurt or angry at someone, it’s an even bigger deal than when it happens later in life. All our feelings and experiences are so amplified, whether it’s by hormones or the newness of the situation. It’s not always pleasant, of course, and I’m particularly keen to avoid romanticising it. It’s the period where you find yourself wising up to life, hopefully.

If you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future novel in, where would you go and why? 

It may seem boring or obvious, and I’ve already visited the United States. But I’m wondering whether the USA I visited and loved eight years ago will be the same USA I’d be visiting a year from now. The Ancient Chinese had a curious saying: “May you live in interesting times.” It was intended as a curse of sorts. America is going to be an awfully interesting place soon, (and always is, however often you’re used to seeing it on TV,) and who knows how current events might influence any story you might choose to set there?

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I’m proud to be a bookworm. Most of the great ideas I’ve encountered in life have come from being a bookworm, whether it’s fact or fiction – which is honestly a bit of a false distinction. My all-time literary idol is Emily Bronte. (Still find it spooky how she shares her birthday with Kate Bush, by the way.) I also have to buy everything David Nicholls writes the day it comes out. Can’t recommend him highly enough. I used to regard Kindle as Satan’s plaything but started reading them recently. It’s OK. Just gimme an actual book please.

 Is “How To Hear Ghosts” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes! Proud to announce it’s available everywhere.

Photo by Linda Hobden

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author or did you have other career aspirations?

As a teenager, my literary ambitions were placed on hold for a few years while I mastered the guitar and played in local rock and indie bands. With the passing of time, it can be seen that Kurt Cobain’s status and reputation were never seriously threatened.

I must admit I have never been to see a medium or attend a show but I do appreciate that many people do feel comforted by getting a chance to have some sort of contact with their loved ones; and I am respectful of the role such mediums do play in certain circumstances. When researching for your book, did you discover anything unexpected? 

My research included visiting mediums for private readings and seances, as well as watching them perform on stage. I’m loathe to call myself a “believer” because there are so many obvious charlatans out there. I wouldn’t want to recommend them to anyone. But the second person I went to see was really quite unsettling. I still have a sound recording of the encounter I had with him, and it’s extraordinary to listen to it now and hear how accurate he was. In fact, it’s even more bizarre listening to it now because you can hear him basically predict things that did come to happen subsequently, which no one at the time could have foreseen, and which I didn’t take a great deal of notice of until later. I’d prefer not to go too deeply into it: suffice to say, I’d forgotten about some of the details on the recording and didn’t listen to it again until two years afterwards. But I think it ended up influencing the book’s rather ambiguous approach towards the paranormal.  

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

It’s hard finding anything that will make you look cool once you’ve lost your hair (though some have managed it). Personally, I’m resigned to being unadventurous – shirt, black trousers, black shoes etc, unless I’m at home, them I’m all trainers and (urk) jeans.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

For clothes, it’s Next and M&S (- no real innovations to report).

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

We’re off for a week in the sun in two days, so a mad scramble for a decent pair of flip-flops is very much in order.

Boots or Shoes?

A new pair of shoes always instills confidence. Not sure why. I’m sure Freud would have something to say about that. The only time boots give me confidence is if I’m hiking in the Lakes.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

Great to chat to you David! Thank you so much for a review copy of “How To Hear Ghosts” – I really rate it!

Linda x

All photographs have been published with the kind permission of David Griffiths .

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Books

Short And Sweet: The Joy Of Bite-Sized Books

I’m pleased to welcome back onto the blog, author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. I interviewed Elizabeth way back in October 2022 as part of her The House On Linden Way Book Tour (read it HERE) and now she is back with a new YA series – Sweet Dreams – and the first book, Murder By Milkshake. Instead of another interview though, Elizabeth has written us a guest post about the joy of bite-sized books… take it away, Elizabeth 😊

Short And Sweet:The Joy Of Bite-Sized Books

When I first envisioned writing a series of YA cozy mysteries, one of the things I knew for sure was I wanted the books to be short and sweet. Ever since the Harry Potter series debuted in the nineties, books for children have mushroomed in size. That’s not a bad thing! I love a hefty read as much as any dedicated book lover. But it’s also nice to have a choice between a sprawling tome and something a bit slimmer and more easily digestible. It is the publishing industry’s prescriptive standards for minimum word counts, a rule driven by profit margins, that has robbed us of the joy of bite-size books. 

For example, growing up I could choose between 1,000 pages of Stephen King or 180 pages of Sweet Valley High, and they both fully qualified as books to me. Not every story needs to be 400 pages long. In the eighties and nineties we had Francine Pascal (Sweet Valley High), Ann M. Martin (The Baby-Sitters Club), and R.L. Stine (Fear Street) churning out books in series we adored. These were slender mass market paperbacks, often 200 pages or fewer, and you could read them in a day. They were books that didn’t make you work too hard, guilty pleasures you read over and over and loved with all your heart despite (or because of) their over-the-top and formulaic plots. There are plenty of series like these for middle grade readers (Goosebumps! Cupcake Diaries!), but teenagers looking for a bookish escape that doesn’t require them to commit to a 60,000-word novel (versus the average 35,000 words that made up a Sweet Valley High book) have a harder time, and usually the shorter stories available to them are limited to romance. 

So I vowed to keep my cozy mysteries between 35,000 and 45,000 words. And since there is no place in traditional publishing for YA books of that length, I decided to self-publish. Which also meant I could choose my own trim size. Of course I picked the mass market paperback size! After all, there’s just nothing like the joy of a bite-size book. 

Book Summary : Murder By Milkshake

Life is sweet for high school senior and ice cream slinger Genevieve Winterland. Her father owns Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour, the cutest confectionery shop in their little town of Pinewood, Arizona. Genevieve loves her job, but when her father hires a broody newcomer with a dark past to provide extra security on her closing shifts, Genevieve bristles. Is this part of her father’s plan to send her away to college, when all she wants is to stay in Pinewood and run the family business?

Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite new teacher at Pinewood High, Miss Love, is receiving death threats, and then she goes missing. Genevieve suspects the crabby substitute, Ms. Pierce, who seems murderous about being passed over for the position. Or is the culprit Mr. Garcia, the longtime instructor who Miss Love replaced after he was fired for assaulting a student? Just when Genevieve thinks she knows the answer, she stumbles across the dead body of another missing faculty member.

Can Genevieve find the killer terrorizing the teachers in her beloved hometown—before someone else gets iced?

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D94VG7L8

Murder by Milkshake is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon. You can add it to your GoodReads reading list as well.

About the Author, Elizabeth Maria Naranjo:

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is the author of The Fourth Wall, The House on Linden Way, and What Was Never There. Her stories and essays have been widely published and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Essays, and Best of the Net, and her short story, “Windows,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2023. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, with her husband and two children.

#murderbymilkshakenaranjo

Elizabeth and Murder by Milkshake can be found online:

https://www.elizabethmarianaranjo.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8124819.Elizabeth_Maria_Naranjo

MURDER BY MILKSHAKE BOOK TOUR DATES

All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Thanks to Elizabeth also for her guest post.

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Books, Childrenswear/Child & Family Related Posts, Interview

Author Interview: Jeremy Hullah

Who doesn’t love a magical story? As a child, I had a “Treasury “book of magical stories – stories that were better read curled up in a wingback chair in front of a roaring log fire, allowing the magical stories to take my imagination on a journey filled with awe and wonderment. Unbelievable tales of dragons, animals who talked, mystical lands, witches and princesses …. Oh, my imagination did run riot! Being an adult, you don’t often get a chance to read magical stories, so it was an absolute joy to read “Uncle Digit and the Truth About Magic” by Jeremy Hullah. Published in April 2024, this is an updated magical story in the same vain as stories of yesteryear – ideal for reading to younger children, a book for older readers …. And adults too!

BOOK SUMMARY

Confined to a wheelchair, 11-year-old Finn looks forward to the visits of his Uncle Henry and the unbelievable stories of his adventures. When Henry goes to the Arctic to look for his father’s lost ship, the stories become increasingly fantastical, straining even Finn’s desire to believe everything his uncle tells him, until he joins in the adventure himself!

Expect aliens, a wise-cracking fox, singing bears, the most powerful device in the universe and some very peculiar snow.

THE INTERVIEW

Hello Jeremy & welcome to the blog. Please introduce yourself 😀

Hello, I’m Jeremy. I’m a retired IT consultant who used to work in the City. I wrote my first two books on the train to and from East Sussex to London Bridge. I’d like to say that I’ve been able to concentrate more on writing since I retired in April, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, although I am hoping that I will settle into more of a routine as time goes on.

Who or what inspired you to write “Uncle Digit And The Truth About Magic”?

Having twin boys to keep entertained is good inspiration for stories, but when I started writing Uncle Digit And The Truth About Magic, I didn’t have much of a plot – just a few ideas inspired by Letters From A Lost Uncle by Mervyn Peake. 

Later, after hearing and reading about some of Ranulph Fiennes expeditions, I imagined some conversations between him and his younger cousins, the actors Joseph and Ralph Fiennes. They started along the lines of “Wow! How many fingers have you lost this time Ranulph?”, “Just the one this time, boys.” – eventually ending up with “You’ll never guess what happened on this expedition?” And Ranulph takes his head off and puts it on the table. 

It was such a stupid idea, but I started to wonder how I could make something so impossible sound feasible within the context of a fantasy / adventure tale.

The “Truth About Magic” part of the title was added after I wrote the fairytale chapter of the same name. This gave me an underlying focus for the book and sparked a lot of underlying elements, especially Finn’s memory of being taking to the healing waters. 

“Uncle Digit And The Truth About Magic ” is a YA book whose magic still enthralled myself and a few other adults I know who read the book.  I loved the fact that Finn wanted to believe the adventurous escapades of his uncle, and even if he felt that his uncle’s stories were far fetched, they offered him escapism from his day to day life and his reliance on his wheelchair.  And yet, the magic in the tales lures you in…Did you base the characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character was the hardest to portray?

No character is based on me or anyone I know, unless you count Uncle Digit as being a wish-fulfilment version of myself (I have always wanted to be a photojournalist)!

Finn was by far the hardest character to portray, as I am not disabled myself and didn’t want to come across as patronising, or using a disabled character lightly as nothing more than a vehicle for the plot (which he is), so I tried to make Finn as real as possible and hopefully have not offended anyone.

It’s important for Finn (and the reader) to wonder whether Uncle Henry is telling tall stories or not – right up to the moment he puts his head on the table. That’s when all doubt is removed and the magic begins. It’s meant to be like the moment in Wizard of Oz when everything turns Technicolor.

What do you enjoy most about writing for the YA/children’s genre? 

I like the escapism and the creation of other realities. Making the impossible seem real, if only for a moment, is (for me) highly challenging and creative.

As you have said, though, the appeal of Uncle Digit is not restricted to YA. I would like to think that people of all ages can read and enjoy the book, and I would direct anyone to Katherine Rundell’s lovely little volume “Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Very Old And Wise.”

I have always enjoyed fantasy adventure stories, starting with Alan Garner’s Weirdstone of Brisingamen, on to The Lord of the Rings, via an awful lot of Michael Moorcock, Jack Vance and the like. Even though I broadened my reading as I got older, I never lost the love for fantasy and all my ideas so far (except one) are fantasy related.

If you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future story in, where would you go and why? 

The second Uncle Digit book, which I am writing at the moment, is set in Alexandria. Although the city has been high on my list of places to go since reading the Alexandria Quartet in my twenties, I have never been there, and so the story relies on the rather romanticised version of Alexandria in the Lawrence Durrell books and recollections of other North African cities that I have actually visited.

If I write a third Uncle Digit book, I think it will be set in Venezuela and South America. I have always wanted to visit the Tepuis and might have the big baddie meeting his end by falling off the Angel Falls – homage to Sherlock Holmes’ Moriarty, as Conan Doyle used to live in a house a hundred yards from where I live now.

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I used to be a bookworm but stopped reading a lot of books sometime in my thirties. When I did read, I tended to like modern classics, and apart from children’s books, I would probably read those over anything else.’

For the last few years though, I have mostly been reading children’s literature and have really enjoyed discovering all the amazing new talents that have emerged in the last ten years, such as Jessica Townsend, Struan Murray, Catherine Doyle and of course Katherine Rundell.

I like reading from a kindle at night, as it is more comfortable and the lighting is so good, but I do prefer to read physical books at other times.

Is “Uncle Digit And The Truth About Magic” available to purchase worldwide?

The eBook is available worldwide, but the print version is only available via Amazon UK.

Growing up had you always wanted to be a writer or did you have other career aspirations?

I had dreams of being a writer when I was young, but never wrote anything worthwhile and gave up when it was time to get a proper job. 

It wasn’t until I had children and a long train journey that ideas started to come again, and I had the time to concentrate on developing them over a long period of time.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I’m mostly happy with jeans and rugby top. I like nice jumpers though and have recently branched out into patterned shirts.

I have a few Crockett and Jones shoes still going strong, from the time when I was a single IT contractor, but now I only wander in their shops from time to time, wondering when I will be able to spend £500 on a pair of shoes.

At the moment I mostly wear an old pair of sturdy half boots or a pair of Vans.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I used to buy my jumpers and tops from Banana Republic, before they disappeared. Most of my clothes now come from All Saints, White Stuff or Seasalt.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Nothing on clothes or shoes for the moment, expect maybe another pairs of Vans.

Boots or Shoes?

Shoes and half boots.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

I’m a luddite when it comes to Social Media and Online Trends, so I’ll have to pass on this one. 😀 My website is : www.digitpublications.com

Great to chat with you Jeremy! Thanks to Jeremy Hullah (& Ben Cameron of Cameron Publicity & Marketing) for a review copy of “Uncle Digit & The Truth About Magic”.

Linda x

Photographs have been published with the kind permission of Jeremy Hullah & by Linda Hobden, where marked.

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Books, Interview

All Money Ain’t Good Money Book Tour

I’m thrilled to be part of the All Money Ain’t Good Money book tour celebrating author Tracey Lampley’s first book in her Jinx Curry mystery series. This is a tale of a female private investigator (Jinx Curry) with a very complicated life… and after reading her exploits in this first book of the series, I , for one, am looking forward to reading more in the books to come. Before I introduce author Tracey Lampley onto the blog, here’s a quick summary of the book and characters…

BOOK SUMMARY

Jinx Curry is a private investigator and single mom who spends her days spying on cheating wives and husbands, but she aches for more importance.

When her boss, Capricorn Hayes, finally assigns Jinx a missing persons case involving a congressman’s missing granddaughter, Jinx jumps at the chance. Not only to solve it, but to earn the fifty-thousand-dollar bonus that would pay her bills, and get a menacing creditor off her back.

But the investigation proves more dangerous and costly than Jinx believes. After an unknown individual in a black Corvette nearly runs Jinx down and begins stalking her, Jinx has to sacrifice her relationship with her daughter by sending Arielle to live with her father. Can Jinx find the congressman’s granddaughter while surviving her stalker? Or will this job be her last?

The Players

Deebo: He’s the scintillating rapper who may be secretly married to the missing teen. A marriage revelation infringes on the rapper’s rising-star status. Did Deebo off his wife to preserve record sales?

Bam: He’s Jinx’s childhood friend who loaned the sleuth a boatload of money. With Jinx unable to repay the loan, has Bam decided to make an example out of Jinx for lack of repayment?

Elena: She’s the missing person. Perhaps Elena doesn’t want to be found. Will she kill Jinx to prevent the sleuth from exposing her location?

Young Calloway: He’s the Georgetown Law School dropout and only grandson of Congressman Calloway. After Jinx discovers the rivalry between Elena and Young Calloway, Jinx also uncovers Young Calloway’s dark past. Has Young Calloway decided to eliminate Jinx to cover up his crimes?

Congressman Calloway: Up for re-election, the congressman cannot afford a family scandal. Did he hire Jinx to find Elena to coverup the young teen’s possible murder? If so, has he decided to eliminate Jinx to clean up the family mess?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When she is not writing, Tracey Lampley loves attending and watching sporting events such as WNBA, NBA, college football and NFL football. Currently Tracey is completing her MA in Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. She already holds an MS in Publishing from Pace University and a BA in English/Technical & Scientific Communication from Miami University of Ohio. She resides in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area with her pooch Neo and near her daughter Asia.

THE INTERVIEW

Hello Tracey 😊 I really enjoyed reading your book, “All Money Ain’t Good Money ” and I particularly enjoyed the characters of the female private investigator Jinx Curry, her sexy boss  Capricorn Hayes, rapper Deebo , Jinx’s girlfriends and  teenage daughter Arielle.  Which character did you particularly enjoy writing about? Which character was the hardest to portray?

Hello 😊. I really enjoyed writing about Jinx because she represents a strong black woman with flaws and vulnerabilities that I hope readers will find endearing. The character hardest to portray was Deebo. Look, I’m a square. Always have been. Always will be, probably. I’ve never smoked weed or engaged in any recreational drugs, and I’m proud of it. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve had wine, and I’d still have fingers remaining. So, I had to research by asking people questions. At first, I had Kristen smoking a cigarette, and I was told a person that young would probably vape! So, Deebo was definitely the most difficult to write about because I didn’t have a clue.

Hypothetically speaking, if “All Money Ain’t Good Money” was made into a film, who would you envisage playing the major characters – Jinx, Capricorn, Deebo, Arielle, Elena, Bam, Young Calloway, Congressman Calloway, Jinx’s girlfriends ….?

I’d pick Ella Balinska or Sonequa Martin-Green to play Jinx. I’d pick Kiki Layne or Cush Jumbo to play Shalonda. I’d pick Laura Harrier to play Poochie. However, Rihanna would be on my wish list to play either Poochie or Jinx. I decided that either Omari Hardwick or Michael B. Jordan could play Capricorn Hayes—although neither are that tall.

Growing up, did you envisage yourself as a writer or did you have other career aspirations?

I’ve always envisioned myself as a writer—even as a kindergartner. However, in the seventh grade, I wrote short stories inside my spiral notebooks. By my senior year in high school, I was writing semi-erotic short stories. I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I just took the scenic route to arrive at my destination.

Is “All Money Ain’t Good Money ” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, I’ve made my books available worldwide. Purchase a copy of All Money Ain’t Good Money on

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/All-Money-Aint-Good-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CW1DW3SX

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-money-aint-good-money-tracey-lampley/1145537634?ean=2940179752004

You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212406184-all-money-ain-t-good-money

The paperback format of All Money Ain’t Good Money is available exclusively on my website. To order your paperback visit https://www.traceylampley.com/category/all-products

If you could visit any place in the world to inspire your next novel, where would you go and why?

If I could visit any place in the world to inspire my next novel, it would be Paris because of the city of romance working against the backdrop of the underworld. My protagonist would pull her hair out navigating the language and the protocol.

Are you a bookworm yourself? If so, what genres (or authors) do you usually like to read? And are you a kindle or “proper book” fan?

Yes, you could call me a bookworm. Whether I’m reading textbooks for my MA in Creative Writing program or reading mysteries and thrillers, I usually have a book I always carry with me because I’m always in a state of waiting, like in the doctor’s office. As for my preference of physical books or reading on my Kindle, I now prefer reading on my Kindle because I travel more and lugging multiple books isn’t practical any longer—even with a nice book bag. 

You can follow the author at:

Website: https://traceylampley.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracey.lampley.12

X/Twitter: @bookmistress1

Instagram: tralam4156

BOOK TOUR DATES

Thanks for the chat Tracey & thank you for the preview copy of “All Money Ain’t Good Money” for reviewing.

All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Tracey Lampley.

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