#Blogtour #Review: Little White Lies and Butterflies by Suzie Tullett @SuzieTullett @bombshellpub16/9/2017 Release date - 14th September 2017
Book length - 212 pages Publisher - www.bombshellbooks.com Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK Lydia knows first-hand that 'having it all' isn't everything it's cracked up to be. As far as she's concerned, when it comes to job versus family, it's a case of one or the other. And whilst most women her age have spent years climbing the corporate ladder, she's made a career out of bagging her perfect man. Now nearly thirty and still single, Lydia wonders if she'd made the right choice. Realising the time has come to take stock, she goes against her family's wishes and goes travelling in the hope of finding a new direction. At least that's the plan. So when Sam comes along, she decides to tell a little white lie, re-inventing herself as a professional chef - not exactly the best new identity for a woman who can't cook. But the truth can’t stay hidden for long and when her family show up unexpectedly things go from bad to worse... Can Lydia find love? Will she ever learn to cook? Little White Lies and Butterflies is a heart-warming comedy about finding your place in the world. MY REVIEW LITTLE WHITE LIES AND BUTTERFLIES by Suzie Tullett will make you laugh out loud and warm your heart from start to finish. Lydia is hitting thirty and knows exactly what she wants from life and it isn't having it all. Determined to find Mister Right who ticks off all of her many boxes, Lydia yearns to be a homemaker, wife, and mother. But sadly the dating pool just seems to be offering hundreds of frogs and not a prince in sight. With her family exasperated with her constant dating woes and her inability to focus on something other than love, Lydia decides that a change in scene is in order, and she flies off to one of the lesser known Greek Islands for some TLC. But when Lydia meets Sam and tells a little white lie, her harmless comment will soon have far-reaching consequences. And when her family surprises her with a visit, Lydia's uncomplicated holiday becomes a lot more complicated! LITTLE WHITE LIES AND BUTTERFLIES by Suzie Tullett is the perfect book after you have had a hard, long day and are in need of some giggles and fun. Lydia is hilarious as she continually gets herself into crazy situations but it is not surprising as she has a tendency to open her mouth before her brain has a chance to think. The setting is absolutely stunning and I could easily picture the Greek island as I drifted along through the story. The plot flows effortlessly as little white lies become huge and turn everything on its head, and I really enjoyed Suzie Tullet's writing style which is detailed and witty, while also managing to be relaxed and laid-back. So indulge yourself today and buy LITTLE WHITE LIES AND BUTTERFLIES by Suzie Tullett! Author Bio: Suzie Tullett is an author of contemporary humorous fiction and romantic comedy. She has a Masters Degree in Television & Radio Scriptwriting and worked as a scriptwriter before becoming a full-time novelist. Her motto is to 'live, laugh, love' and when she's not busy creating her own literary masterpieces, she usually has her head in someone else's. Suzie lives in a tiny hamlet in the middle of the French countryside, along with her husband and two Greek rescue dogs. For more information: Website - suzietullett.com Twitter - twitter.com/SuzieTullett Facebook - www.facebook.com/Suzie-Tullett-Author-221204154583599/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/suzie_tullett/ *I want to thank Sarah at Bombshell Books, and the author, Suzie Tullett, for the opportunity to review this book and take part in this wonderful blog tour. Don't forget to check out all of the other steps along the way!!
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#Review: Lawless and the House of Electricity by William Sutton @TitanBooks @WilliamGeorgeQ15/9/2017 Release date - 22nd August 2017
Book length - 464 pages Publisher - titanbooks.com Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK Plots. Secrets. Power. The new drawing mistress feels inquisitive eyes upon her as she arrives to take up her post at a country house. Ex-street urchin Molly’s quickwitted candour earns her favour with the Earl’s family and guests, but the butler sees through her pose of gentility. In London’s East End dockyards, a body is found in a lifeboat. But Sergeant Campbell Lawless is summoned to the government offices to weigh up a greater threat. A gunpowder blast, a train derailed, an explosive ship. The shadow of European machinations looms over the capital, threatening royals and politicians. Lawless must investigate these explosions from the East End to Guernsey and Clerkenwell House of Detention to the English shires. As Molly teaches the children, she suspects that darker secrets lurk in the gardens. The House of Roxbury, powered by the latest hydraulic contraptions, used to welcome a cavalcade of poets and magicians, explorers and cyclists, scientists and surgeons. Why does it now receive so few visitors? What made this industrial giant a recluse? Experiments are conducted in the glasshouse laboratories. Molly uses her artistic licence to investigate the unseen forces running Roxbury House. The butler suspects her motives, as he guards the secret of the East Wing; until the diary of the late Lady Roxbury enlightens Molly of the house’s woes. What is the Earl’s sad secret – and the troubling plan for which these sacrifices have been made? Who is orchestrating these blasts? As the mysterious corpse yields its secrets, Lawless must unravel the threads before dangerous powers fall into unruly hands. MY REVIEW Having never read the previous books in this series I was unsure exactly what I was getting myself into, but I am happy to report that I really enjoyed LAWLESS AND THE HOUSE OF ELECTRICITY by William Sutton, and have even bought the other books. A decayed corpse is found in an abandoned lifeboat at the dockyard and explosions are suddenly happening in London. Sergeant Campbell Lawless has been tasked with the job of uncovering who is behind it all, and with his unusual group of sidekicks in the form of Molly and Ruth, it will lead them on a complicated journey of secrets and danger. From the Earl of Roxbury's estate where science reigns supreme, to the back alleys of London, will Lawless be able to solve this riddle before it is too late? This book is unusual as the narrative jumps from one character to another, and from past to present on occasion, but this really worked as it gave the whole story a sense of energy and urgency. The characters are rich and very likeable, especially the female characters who are shrewd, intelligent, and feisty in their own ways. The setting and time period flares to life on every page to the point where you could easily close your eyes for a moment and picture the scene in your mind. While there were some moments where I wished that I had read the previous books (Lawless and the Devil of Euston Square, Lawless and the Flowers of Sin), overall you can read this novel as a standalone - but you can never have enough books so why not just buy the series?! LAWLESS AND THE HOUSE OF ELECTRICITY by William Sutton is an exquisite mystery that will grip you from start to finish and I highly recommend it to historical mystery fans everywhere. Author Bio: William Sutton was born in Scotland in 1970 and appeared in pantomime at the age of nine. He learned blues harmonica from his Latin teacher, drove to California in a VW beetle and studied classics at Oxford. Besides writing radio plays and short stories, he has acted in the longest play in the world, tutored the Sugababes and played cricket for Brazil. After living in Brazil and Italy, teaching English and singing in ice cream shops, he has returned to the UK where he teaches Latin and plays accordion. For more information: Website - www.william-sutton.co.uk Twitter - twitter.com/WilliamGeorgeQ Facebook - www.facebook.com/williamgeorgeq *I want to thank Lydia from Titan Books, and the author William Sutton, for the opportunity to review this book. #Bookblast #Spotlight: The Soldier's Return by Laura Libricz @hfvbt @LauraLibricz @BlueHeronBW15/9/2017 Publication Date: September 15, 2017
eBook & Paperback Series: Heaven’s Pond Trilogy, Book Two Genre: Historical Fiction Available on Amazon ABOUT THE BOOK The year is 1626. A senseless war rips through parts of Germany. Ongoing animosity between the Catholics and the Protestants has turned into an excuse to destroy much of the landscape situated between France, Italy and Denmark. But religion only plays a minor role in this lucrative business of war. The young dutchman, Pieter van Diemen, returns to Amsterdam in chains after a period of imprisonment in the Spice Islands. He manages to escape but must leave Amsterdam in a hurry. Soldiers are in demand in Germany and he decides to travel with a regiment until he can desert. His hope of survival is to reach Sichardtshof, the farm in Franconia, Germany; the farm he left ten years ago. His desire to seek refuge with them lies in his fond memories of the maid Katarina and her master, the humanist patrician Herr Tucher. But ten years is a long time and the farm has changed. Franconia is not only torn by war but falling victim to a church-driven witch hunt. The Jesuit priest, Ralf, has his sights set on Sichardtshof as well. Ralf believes that ridding the area of evil will be his saving grace. Can Pieter, Katarina and Herr Tucher unite to fight against a senseless war out of control? The Soldier’s Return is the second book in the Heaven’s Pond Trilogy and will be released on September 15, 2017. Author Bio: Laura Libricz was born and raised in Bethlehem PA and moved to Upstate New York when she was 22. After working a few years building Steinberger guitars, she received a scholarship to go to college. She tried to ‘do the right thing’ and study something useful, but spent all her time reading German literature. She earned a BA in German at The College of New Paltz, NY in 1991 and moved to Germany, where she resides today. When she isn’t writing she can be found sifting through city archives, picking through castle ruins or aiding the steady flood of musical instruments into the world market. Her first novel, The Master and the Maid, is the first book of the Heaven’s Pond Trilogy. The Soldier’s Return and Ash and Rubble are the second and third books in the series. For more information, please visit Laura Libricz’s website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. *I want to thank Amy at hfvirtualbooktours.com for the opportunity to take part in this book blast. #Blogtour #Review: Maria In The Moon by Louise Beech @OrendaBooks @LouiseWriter #MariaInTheMoon14/9/2017 Release date - 30th September 2017
Book length - 276 pages Publisher - orendabooks.co.uk Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK 'Long ago my beloved Nanny Eve chose my name. Then one day she stopped calling me it. I try now to remember why, but I just can't.' Thirty-one-year-old Catherine Hope has a great memory. But she can't remember everything. She can't remember her ninth year. She can't remember when her insomnia started. And she can't remember why everyone stopped calling her Catherine-Maria. With a promiscuous past, and licking her wounds after a painful breakup, Catherine wonders why she resists anything approaching real love. But when she loses her home to the deluge of 2007 and volunteers at Flood Crisis, a devastating memory emerges ... and changes everything. Dark, poignant and deeply moving, Maria in the Moon is an examination of the nature of memory and truth, and the defences we build to protect ourselves, when we can no longer hide... MY REVIEW Haunting, harrowing, and heartbreaking are just some of the words that I could use to describe this unbelievably emotive novel by Louise Beech. Catherine is the girl to go to if you need to know someone's birthday, or if you desperately need a listening ear over the telephone, but when it comes to her own life there are gaps in her memories that haunt her in their absence, and she runs a mile at the whiff of commitment. Having a strained relationship with her stepmother doesn't make life any easier as Catherine cannot usually be in the same room with her for more than five minutes before all hell breaks loose, let alone have a deep and meaningful conversation with her about her childhood. But when Catherine begins to volunteer again she will be forced to revisit her past as her nightmares start to happen more frequently and the few relationships she has start to suffer, but as the horrendous secret that is hiding deep in her mind is beginning to resurface, will she lose herself completely when the truth emerges? This book broke my heart with its dark and disturbing atmosphere that felt like it was always there, to the side, waiting to suffocate you with its brutality. I don't want to say too much about the plot because you need to read it for yourself, but the characters are flawed, scared, and completely realistic, and I cared about Catherine so much, which shows the brilliance of this writer. Set in the aftermath of the terrible floods in Hull in 2007 added an extra, raw element to the overall storyline which really showed the harsh reality of how easily our lives can be washed away and destroyed, and what happens when you must start afresh one block at a time. The writing style is almost lyrical and you find yourself completely carried away with her words, and as I have never read anything by Louise Beech before, I look forward to reading more from this author. MARIA IN THE MOON by Louise Beech made me cry, made my stomach knot, and made me realise the power and strength of the human spirit. An unbelievable read. Author Bio: Louise Beech has always been haunted by the sea. She regularly writes travel pieces for the Hull Daily Mail, where she was a columnist for ten years. Her short fiction has won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, as well as shortlisting for the Bridport Prize twice and being published in a variety of UK magazines. Louise lives with her husband and children on the outskirts of Hull – the UK’s 2017 City of Culture – and loves her job as a Front of House Usher at Hull Truck Theatre, where her first play was performed in 2012. She was also part of the Mums’ Army on Lizzie and Carl’s BBC Radio Humberside Breakfast Show for three years. For more information: Website - louisebeech.co.uk Twitter - twitter.com/LouiseWriter *I want to thank Anne Cater, Orenda Books, and the author, Louise Beech, for the opportunity to review this stunning novel, and take part in this blog tour. Don't forget to check out all of the other stops along the way. Happy Reading!! Release date - 30th August 2017
Book length - 202 pages Publisher - www.harpercollins.co.uk Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK Welcome to Cornisea island and spend your summer holidays in a Cornish Castle. Guinevere Evans has a dream summer job: cataloguing books at a castle on a tidal island off the coast of Cornwall. With her perky dachshund Dolly by her side she explores the island’s colourful history, tries fabulous local food and sees the gorgeous sunsets. But when an old friend of her employer drops in, claiming a rare bejewelled wedding goblet is hidden in the castle gardens, strange events start to take place: several people turn up claiming they have a right to the elusive goblet, and a dead body is found on the beach. An unfortunate accident, or does this death relate to the struggle for ownership of the goblet? Is there even a goblet? Guinevere and Dolly dig in and discover plenty of motives to lie, steal and yes, maybe even kill. Can they prove what really happened to the victim and what became of the precious rubies that are at the heart of the mystery? MY REVIEW RUBIES IN THE ROSES by Vivian Conroy is the second book in the Cornish Castle Mystery Series and I could not wait to dive back into this wonderful series. Guinevere is back with her fabulous sidekick, Dolly the dachshund, and it isn't long before there is mystery in the air once again. Still working at her dream summer job up at the castle, it is only when an old friend of her employer appears, claiming that there is a rare antique hidden in the castle grounds, that Guinevere and the community of Cornisea Island will find themselves in the middle of a mystery, as people start to crawl out of the woodwork staking their claim, and a dead body floats up on the beach. Will Guinevere and Dolly be able to uncover the truth before it is too late? I love this cozy mystery series with its stunning setting and intriguing (and loveable) characters that draw you into the story and make you feel a part of the action. I really enjoyed the first book in the series (Death Plays A Part) and I had high hopes for the sequel and hats off to Vivian Conroy, as this one was even better! The mystery element is superb with plenty of twists and turns to throw you off the scent, but it is the castle and the community of quirky characters that really steal the show in this novel. RUBIES IN THE ROSES by Vivian Conroy is the perfect read to curl up on the couch with and I highly recommend it and the series! Author Bio: Vivian Conroy discovered Agatha Christie at 13 and quickly devoured all Poirot and Miss Marple stories. Over time Lord Peter Wimsey and Brother Cadfael joined her favorite sleuths. Even more fun than reading was thinking up her own fog-filled alleys, missing heirs and priceless artifacts. So Vivian created feisty Lady Alkmene and enigmatic reporter Jake Dubois sleuthing in 1920s London and the countryside, first appearing in A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR (published by Carina UK/Harper Collins). For more information: Twitter - twitter.com/VivWrites *I want to thank Vivian Conroy for the opportunity to review this book and take part in this blog tour. Don't forget to check out the other stops along the way!! Release date - 7th September 2017 (Paperback)
Book length - 336 pages Publisher - atlantic-books.co.uk/corvus/ Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK Zoe and Ollie Morley tried for years to have a baby and couldn't. They turned to adoption and their dreams came true when they were approved to adopt a little girl from birth. They named her Evie. In the days following Evie's birth the new parents watch anxiously as their precious daughter struggles - she is battling the severe effects of the drugs her birth mother was addicted to. Seven years later, the family has moved to Zoe's native Yorkshire and grown in number: a wonderful surprise in the form of baby Ben, conceived naturally against the odds. Ollie is earning good money allowing Zoe to pursue her career as an artist. As a working mum it's not easy, but Zoe has an exhibition coming up and her reputation is growing. Life is good. But then Evie begins to receive letters and gifts. The sender claims to be her birth father. He has been looking for his daughter. And now he is coming to take her back... MY REVIEW THE STOLEN CHILD by Sanjida Kay is a chilling and haunting tale of love, loss, and desperation, and will make you hold your little ones extra tight. Zoe and Ollie finally have their beautiful little daughter, their beloved child that they have gone through so much to hold in their arms. It doesn't matter that she is adopted or that her mother was a drug addict. Evie is their little girl and they will love her with all of their hearts. Fast forward seven years and Zoe and Ollie were even more blessed when they unexpectedly fell pregnant with Ben who is now two years old. Their little family is now complete with their daughter and son, and from the outside, they look like the perfect family. Zoe loves being a mum but she doesn't get to focus on her art as much as she would like, while Ollie is throwing himself into his career more and more. And Zoe worries about Evie sometimes as her little girl seems so angry and out of her reach. So when a fellow artist reaches out to Zoe, she blooms under his attention and yearns for the connection that seems to exist between them, while at the same time her husband seems to be moving further and further away from her. But when Zoe makes a terrifying discovery in her back garden, she must focus on her family more than ever before, because Evie's biological father has found them and he wants his little girl back. And he will do whatever he must to retrieve everything that was stolen from him. THE STOLEN CHILD by Sanjida Kay is terrifying as we watch Zoe and Ollie's entire life fall apart piece by piece, and when their children are in danger, it literally made my skin crawl as it is every parent's worst nightmare. The drama and pace of this novel really worked for me and I was sure that I knew what was going to happen but I was wrong, and there are plenty of shocks and twists along the way that really kept it interesting from start to finish. I have to say that I didn't always like Zoe as there were times where I felt that she was selfish and acting stupidly, but that didn't stop me from empathising with her as her life unravelled around her. THE STOLEN CHILD by Sanjida Kay is a gripping and compelling thriller that should definitely be on your reading list for this year. Author Bio: Sanjida Kay is the author of psychological thrillers, 'Bone by Bone' and ''The Stolen Child', published by Corvus Books. She lives in Bristol with her husband and her daughter. For more information: Website - www.sanjida.co.uk Twitter - twitter.com/SanjidaKay Facebook - www.facebook.com/SanjidaKayAuthor/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/sanjida.kay/ *I want to thank the team at Corvus Books for the opportunity to review this book Release date - 14th September 2017 Book length - 320 pages Publisher - www.accentpress.co.uk Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK There are dark corners in your mind that even you can’t get to. Anna Caldwell is terrified of falling asleep. A nightmare, her very own, will be there waiting for her. After sharing her bed with the same vision for fifteen years, she’s desperate to shake it. But it only holds on tighter. Then Anna meets Jack. She’s drawn to the strange, alluring tension that she feels when she’s around him. It’s as though it’s meant to be. But creeping beneath the roots of their intimacy is darkness. If you knew your dreams were trying to tell you something terrible, would you listen? MY REVIEW When I started to read WAKING by Helen Richardson I had hoped that it would be a decent story with the odd surprise or two, but nothing prepared me for this compelling, absorbing, and utterly brilliant story! Anna Caldwell has a new job, a new home, and a new life in London but she is still haunted every night when she goes to sleep and the dreams take over. Desperate to understand why this keeps happening to her, Anna cannot help but feel that she is missing something crucial and that there is some sort of message in these nightmares if she could only find a way to unveil its secrets. But when Anna meets Jack, she feels optimistic for the first time in so long and there is a sense that this is just meant to be. But as the darkness starts to close in, even more, are her dreams trying to tell her something so important that it could change everything? Thrown straight into the story, this perfectly-paced thriller kept me on edge from beginning to end. The characters are interesting and intriguing, and I became desperate to solve the riddle of Anna's dreams as the story unfolded. There are plenty of twists and drama along the way and I really connected with the characters which is always such an important part of reading for me. WAKING by Helen Richardson is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it!!! Author Bio: From a young age, Helen devoured books and wrote stories. Still in single digits, she surrounded herself with contemporary literature, writing stories or poetry at every available opportunity. This passion took her to University College London to study English Language & Literature. There, she discovered and fell in love with the classical, canonical works that developed her understanding of the more modern writing she had grown up loving. Graduating with first class honours, and at the beginning of a long love affair with London, Helen remained in the city, and began work in the film and television industry. Now a freelance producer making films for brands, charities, and channels, Helen has travelled all over the world with her work, making documentaries about the Mississippi River, following the McLaren F1 team around the world for Johnnie Walker whisky, making films for Mazda on the southern coast of Spain, shooting world-class Hungarian skateboarders in Budapest, and scaling the snowy peaks of the Swiss alps with Sir Richard Branson for Virgin Media Business. Throughout this developing career, Helen has continued to write, finding the combination of writing and producing brilliantly complimentary. Her work as a producer has helped her to understand the tensions that exist within every creative process, and to become practised in the long hard slog of execution that inevitably must follow that initial, seductive, flash of inspiration. Her writing has helped her flex her creative muscles, become practised in the art of storytelling, and to trust her instinct when it comes to an idea. Helen continues to move between producing and writing. She is currently developing film work for CNN's sponsored content department in London, CNN Create, and hoping to take some time later this year to begin work on her next novel. She credits her daily yoga and meditation practice, for her ability to juggle the two sides of her life. She lives in East London with her husband. For more information: Website - readmesoftly.com Twitter - twitter.com/helen_r_writes Facebook - www.facebook.com/HelenRichardsonAuthor/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/helen_richardson_writes/ Please read on for a wonderful guest post from Helen herself about letting go of the idea of the perfect book. Letting go of Perfection Helen Richardson "My book, it's perfect. It's all there; it's unsullied. But as soon as I start to write it, it just gets less and less perfect, and in the end I'll have ruined it just by writing it." Does this sound familiar? It did to me when I sat in the theatre as a sixteen-year-old, watching Alan Ayckbourn's 2005 play, Improbable Fiction, with my parents. This line perfectly articulated that private, almost paralysing paranoia that stunted most of my writing efforts at the time. I sat open-mouthed in the audience, realising for the first time why I never got to the end of anything: Once I had an idea that I loved, I was terrified of messing it up by rendering it imperfectly. I was seduced by the shiny joy of a fresh narrative, a new character, the untapped potential of an embryonic plot. I cherished a crisp empty notebook, bought specially and ready to be filled, a blank page, a new pen. I used to hate the phrase 'Done is better than perfect'. It seemed invariably to paraphrase itself in my head to, 'Lower your expectations' or, 'Settle for mediocrity'. To my rigid, brittle, perfection-seeking young mind, it sounded like accepting second best, or worse: giving up on a dream. I have written intensely my entire life, or at least, since I was old enough to put pen to paper. Over the years though, I noticed my passion for writing gradually begin to become a part of that larger, weightier shadow of perfectionism that hovered over everything else I did. My unfinished novels and poems were like black holes in the Milky Way, a negative space that pulled the light in. I never felt that anything was good enough, and so I never finished anything. I remember sitting on Porthcurno beach in Cornwall, in my early teens, sketching alongside my Granny and my Great Aunt, both professional artists. As we drew, my Granny said, with absolute earnest sincerity, 'The most important thing about art is that while you're doing it, you musn't worry at all about whether or not it is any good.' She delivered this to me as an important fact, and this astonished me, because at that age my head was full to the brim with this exact worry, in every aspect of my creative life. A sample of marbling done by my Great Aunt Colleen Gryspeerdt that appeared in a collector's edition of T.E. Lawrence letters, and the 'Rough Sea' is a collage by my Granny Juliet Wheeler. When I was twenty-two, I was working with a researcher called Dan, who one day revealed to me while we made coffee in the office kitchen, that outside of work, he had just directed and finished his first feature film. He asked me if I wanted to watch it. Of course I did. I spent that evening at home in my flat enjoying the fruits of his labour.
Sure, there were a few issues with it: He was clearly inexperienced; the actors were great but not amazing; it had been made on a shoestring budget. But there were flashes of real brilliance, moments of utter beauty and sensitivity, an incredibly clever script, and a genuinely interesting idea at its heart. I remember being as impressed by the fact that here was a finished, completed, entire feature film, as I was by the film itself. When I spoke to Dan about his work, his approach stunned me. He told me that he loved directing and making films, and that his ambition was to be a 'really run-of-the-mill, mediocre, middle-level, average director'. He said it partly for comic affect, but I could sense an element of truth behind his words. I could see how this less precious approach had freed him up, loosened him from the intense, self-critical, creative constipation that I was suffering with. On top of this, I could see that by finishing a film, he had learnt more about filmmaking than he would ever have learnt by starting and then dropping ten separate ideas. By completing the process, he had come into contact with each and every stage of it. He had come to terms with the ratio of 10% inspiration to 90% execution and delivery, and most importantly, he had lived through the experience of that gap between your vision, and your creation. And this gap is the crucial bit, because that's the bit we need to practise: it's only by repeating the whole process, that we stand any chance of reducing the distance between our intentions and the reality of what we are able to produce. If you are a talented, gifted writer, with the potential to write an incredible book, that's quite a heady place to be. And just so long as you don't finish anything, you can stay there quite comfortably. If you throw yourself into the process from start to finish, you will inevitably come up against your own shortcomings, areas of weakness, problems that need to be worked through, external criticism, and even errors of creative judgment. There will be times where you will think 'maybe I'm not so good at this after all'. In those moments, it will feel so easy to retreat to the lure of a sparkling new idea, a different one, something untainted by your efforts, something that will allow you to reclaim your identity as a gifted writer with potential. The problem with these repeated introductions, is that you are only ever practising how to start something. You are constantly learning how to begin. To be brutal, the beginning is the easy bit: it's the rest of the process that requires the most work. I have realised that letting go of perfection doesn't mean settling for something less, or lowering your expectations. It is subtler and kinder than that. It means relaxing the vice-like grip that you might be strangling your own writing attempts with; it means realising that your initial idea is a malleable sketch, a faint blueprint that will inevitably evolve and grow as you dive into its detail. In order to develop as a writer, the experience of the process is as important as the piece of writing itself. Try to view each piece you finish as a lesson, a stepping stone, a waypoint along your journey. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good. But it should teach you something. Take the legendary, triple-Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura, whose story begins with him being fired from his first proper job, or Sir Richard Branson, who almost declared bankruptcy during the early days of Virgin, or - of course - the initial rejections that J.K.Rowling received for Harry Potter. What unites successful, inspirational people, is not their superhuman ability to be pitch perfect winners at every stage of their life, it is their willingness to have an open and honest relationship with failure. What you write next will probably not be perfect, but you have the power to make sure that it contains something valuable, something that you can learn from. Alan Ayckbourne's Improbable Fiction is a great example of this: I didn't actually love the play, and I don't think it is one of his best works, but it afforded me the nugget of self-awareness that I began this post with, a line from a character that travelled straight to my sixteen-year-old heart, drowning in unfinished stories. The next few books you read, imagine you had written them. Look for a sentence you might change, for the parts of a story you might shift slightly, a different tone of voice that could work better in a certain scene. Don't do it with every book of course - it would ruin the joy of reading! - but just for a short time, extend the same harsh level of criticism and self-doubt that you load onto your own shoulders, on published works. I guarantee you will find that very few books are entirely without fault, or room for improvement. And you know why? Because the differences between us are too great and too interesting. We won't ever unanimously receive a piece of writing in the same way. We don't arrive at a novel with identical personal contexts; we each carry different histories, experiences, and reference points. You can't write the perfect book, but instead, if you're lucky, you can be a part of the conversation. For that to happen though, you will need to finish speaking, to complete the thing you are trying to say, to let go of perfection and find your way to The End. Good luck! *I want to thank Karen at Accent Press, and the author Helen Richardson, for the opportunity to read this novel, take part in this blog tour, and for such a fabulous guest post. Release date - 5th September 2017
Book length - 245 pages Publisher - www.bloodhoundbooks.com Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com ABOUT THE BOOK A gripping new mystery you won't be able to put down When a girl goes missing on board of an ocean liner, only one person is convinced that the disappearance is no accident. Alyssa has found herself with a group of impoverished girls who are embarking from Australia to Canada in the hope of marriage. As the daughter of a senior official, Alyssa doesn’t share this goal. She hopes to return to England via Canada. But the girls all share one problem. Their presence on the ship is not know to many of its passengers but their worlds collide when one of the gentlemen discovers them. Then Emma, one of the intended brides, goes missing. Alyssa is convinced the disappearance is no accident, and will risk her own life to search for the killer. What happened to Emma? Is there a murderer on board the ship? Alyssa is about to discover that there is more to her voyage than she bargained for. The Case of the Missing Bride is gripping stunning fiction novel you won't be able to put down! MY REVIEW THE CASE OF THE MISSING BRIDE by Carmen Radtke is a gripping and evolving story that slowly draws you into the past and holds you hostage until the very last line. It is the 1860's and a group of young women find themselves on board an ocean liner making its way to Canada, where the women will become brides in the hopes of having a new life. But not everyone knows of their presence on the ship, and when one of the girls disappears, they are all shocked as to what could have happened to her. Alyssa is set apart from the girls as she is more upper class and has no intention of becoming a bride but rather intends to travel on to England in search of a relative. But when it becomes clear that one of the women is missing, she is determined to uncover the truth, no matter how dangerous it may be... THE CASE OF THE MISSING BRIDE by Carmen Radtke is historical fiction with a dash of mystery and I really enjoyed this steadily paced, elegantly written story that transported me back in time. Alyssa is a complex and likeable character who is so caring and considerate, but also unafraid of speaking her mind and doing what she must to find the truth, and I loved this about her. All in all, this is a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author. Author Bio: Carmen has spent most of her life with ink on her fingers and a dangerously high pile of books and newspapers by her side. She has worked as a newspaper reporter on two continents and always dreamt of becoming a novelist and screenwriter. When she found herself crouched under her dining table, typing away on a novel between two earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, she realised she was hooked for life. The shaken but stirring novel made it to the longlist of the Mslexia competition, and her next book and first mystery, The Case Of The Missing Bride, was a finalist in the Malice Domestic competition in a year without a winner. Carmen was born in Hamburg, Germany, but had planned on emigrating since she was five years old. She first moved to New Zealand and now lives in York, UK, with her daughter, cat, and sometimes her seafaring husband comes home. For more information: Twitter - twitter.com/CarmenRadtke1 Facebook - www.facebook.com/Carmen-Radtke-1958399947738868/ *I want to thank Sarah from Bloodhound Books, and the author Carmen Radtke, for the opportunity to review this book and take part in this blog tour. |
WelcomeHi fellow bookworms. My name is Linda and I'm a reviewer & blogger, wife & mother who loves all things books! Currently ReadingUPCOMING BLOG TOURS
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